Improvement in boots and shoes



F. O. WARD.

BOOTS AND snows. v v Patented Nov. 30,1875,

J20. Wm

NlFETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON D C.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK O. WARD, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB OF ONE- HALF HIS RIGHT TO LEWIS MURR, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 170,61 1, dated November 30, 1875; application filed November 15, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK O. WARD, of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a clear and exact description of the nature thereof, sufficient to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to fully understand, make, and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shoe embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

It is well known that the rear of a shoe wears out just above the heel-stiffening, and that at the same point the shoe does not set comfortably. My invention is designed to remedy these defects; and it consists of an elastic gore fitted to the rear of a shoe just above the heel or heel-stiffening, without in any respect necessarily altering the construction or appearance of the shoe, said gore providing means for increasing the durability. of

the shoe at the otherwise easily affected por- I tion, and likewise increasing the comfortable wear.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a shoe, which may be of well-known form and construction. From the hind quarter at a point just above the heel or heel-stiffening there is removed, a part of the material of which the said quarter is formed, and in lieu thereof 1 insert an elastic gore, B, which is stitched to the adjacent edges of the material.

It will be seen that as the shoe is in service there is considerable working of the hind quarter thereof at the point or portion just above the heel or heel-stiflenin g, but the elastic gore gives or yields at said point, and consequently prevents wear of the leather or other material. The said gore also prevents rubbing or chafing of the foot of the wearer at a portion adjacent to the top of the heel-stiffening, consequently the comfort of wearing a shoe with F. O. WARD. Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM,

H. E. HINDMARSH. 

